Black History Month so far!

Unity in Diversity: Art Exhbition L-R: John Hall, Sam Chimes, Crystal Noir, Adeline Poufong, Devon Mars, Naa Sheka

Last year I was out of town for Black History month and I was relieved. I felt an immense amount of pressure to do something in the way of contributing or talking about blackness for the month of February. By this time, I had begun talking about identity and race in my work but I was still uncomfortable taking up space, or rather knowing how much I was “allowed to”. This year I feel differently. This year my battle was not about a feeling of not belonging but rather figuring out if I was strong enough to join all the other black people who half the time seem to be screaming into a void for recognition and support.

I have seen so many black people in my network work tirelessly this month to educate about and preserve black culture, a lot of the whom are using their own money and time to fund these endeavours, not to mention the emotional labour that goes into putting oneself out there, often opening wounds and excavating through trauma and insecurities to try and make a difference for the one month of year where we are given the spotlight. I don’t always have the capacity for sharing but I am inspired by all those who are out there kicking ass this month amidst trying to survive it!

I currently have some work in a group exhibition at Landmark gallery in WhiteRock called “Unity in Diversity”. The opening night was on Saturday. It was a huge personal achievement to partake in this exhibition alongside the other talented artists and I’m really proud of all the work that has gone into it. I loved chatting with people about some of my art pieces and making new connections and was super grateful to everyone who attended. I used to be apprehensive about asking white friends to join me for black centred events and I don’t always have words to express what a big deal their support would mean. I feared I would get rejected and be unable to handle it but this time, my last minute advertising was down to lack of organisation and having my irons in so many fires at once I didn’t fit in the computer stuff on time.

Still, there was a good turn out. During a performance by Sam Chimes @onechimes , a few older white folk looked in hesitantly. A few entered but many just looked on with curiosity and kept moving. It is interesting to see white people be taken aback when they encounter a predominantly black space. Perhaps they see us or see the word black and think it is not for them. I wonder if they consider that this is one of the reasons that people of colour do not always feel completely comfortable in all white spaces, that this is one of the reasons why we have to try and carve out space for ourselves and make sure our voices are heard too.

Some of my work on display at Landmark Gallery

On Sunday I was making a sign to put outside the Gallery. I wanted to do something cool and draw a black power fist but honestly, I was too scared. As people walked by and read the sign, I was nervous about who would enter. I worried that perhaps I was naive when I first rocked up thinking safety was guaranteed behind a gallery sign and a glass window when in reality, anybody could walk through that door and be rubbed the wrong way.

That day I chatted with an older white woman who questioned whether one of the artist's experiences with police brutality and racism was real, because she knows a black person who hasn’t had to deal with such discrimination, she wanted to know if that's how it was for me. I saw a drunk white man approach the door and I held my breath as he stumbled around the exhibition space but he didn’t do or say anything threatening. The imagery and words on the walls from me and other black artists are a display of raw honesty and vulnerability and although I didn't encounter any hostility or racism that day, I know that the possibility is never too far away.

Last Saturday I witnessed Shayla, a friend of mine, lead a free walking tour of Hogan’s Alley, Vancouver’s historic black and Ethnically diverse neighbourhood that was destroyed around 1970 with the building of the Georgia Viaduct and the rise of gentrification. As a resident of so-called Vancouver, I had little knowledge of the history behind this neighbourhood and was excited to learn a bit about the area in Strathcona along with a small group of adults and children who were listening attentively and enjoying the light stroll. As we were walking past what used to be the city’s only black church and is now housing, the tour was interrupted by a resident of the area who was upset by our presence. He began spewing hatred and upsetting a lot of the tour attendants, some of which were small children. We were not on anybody's private property or causing noise disturbance and the tour was moving at a reasonable pace. Naturally, the disruption was unsettling but our graceful guide recovered well. The group took a collective breath and got on with things. Because even though it is hard to do this work, it is important.

Black history Month has been celebrated in Canada throughout the month of February since 2008 to celebrate the many achievements of Black Canadians and their communities who, throughout history, have done so much to make Canada a culturally diverse, compassionate, and prosperous country and to become more educated about the contributions of black people both in a historical and modern day context. To my knowledge, Black History month is celebrated in Ireland, The UK and The Netherlands throughout the month of October. It is comforting to see that Ireland, the country I grew up in, has stepped up and began to acknowledge the Black Community. I have also heard of this month being referred to as Black Futures Month or Black Excellence Month and I love these terms.

There was a surge in support from white people for lessening the discrimination inflicted on black folk and efforts to uplift and elevate black voices in 2020 amidst the Black Lives Matter campaign and sadly, there has been a notable decline since.

I’m not here to police or monitor how people prioritize their time and I am far from having all the answers but I do have some suggestions:

Support Black owned creatives and businesses
Follow some black people on social media
Learn about noteworthy black figures and their contributions
Donate to anti-racism charities
Amplify black voices
Share, read and buy books by black authors
Find out the diversity equity and inclusion strategies in your workplace
Go to an event

Instead of asking stupid rhetorical questions about why there is even a black history month and why it is important, look it up. Instead of doing nothing, do something. There is so much knowledge out there and so many things going on in the community. If you care about black people, collective liberation or just people in general, step it up and If anything, let this month serve as a reminder to continue to make time to learn. Don’t let the efforts of black folk fall on deaf ears.

I don’t want realism, I want magic

Hair story